Lawrence "Larry" Westenberg

Lawrence "Larry" Westenberg, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker in Illinois with 42 years of counseling experience who takes a strengths and solutions-focused view of therapy, emphasizing practical change in the direction the client wants to go. He does not accept insurance and explains that his preference is to keep sessions centered on the person and their goals rather than on diagnosis-driven paperwork and symptom checklists.

He began his career on a back ward of a state mental hospital, supporting people with severe mental illness and helping them identify and use their own resources to improve day-to-day life. That early experience shaped his belief that effective counseling often comes from grounded, human connection and a focus on what works, rather than getting lost in elaborate theories. In his work, he aims to create a space where clients can step back, observe patterns with some distance, and recognize skills they can apply strategically in real life.

Larry specializes in trauma, anxiety and panic, ADD, relationships, and questions of meaning and purpose. He also has extensive training in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and is a published author in belief change, Ericksonian hypnosis, and NLP. His background includes inpatient, outpatient, partial hospitalization, and crisis intervention settings. He has supported LGBTQ+ individuals for decades and has experience helping people navigate alternative lifestyles thoughtfully, including how to manage different parts of life in work and social environments, and how to cope when family relationships are harmful.